CHANDLER, AZ — Arnav Ved, a high school student in Chandler, has found a new passion for photography and it has paid off in a big way.
Ved is one of hundreds of teenagers from across Arizona who submitted photos for a nature photo contest sponsored by Arizona Highways.
"I have never been a drawing and artistic person, but I do enjoy art, so I enjoy the artistic aspect of photography,” said Ved during a Zoom interview.
His creativity and eye for the lens landed him in 3rd place out of over 4,000 photos submitted.
The Hamilton High School sophomore explained how the mind of a photographer can help attain the beauty all around.
“Being a photographer is all about patience and having the eye for the photos you need to know that just develops over time, honestly,” he added.
Ved expresses his love for photography in a way you would think he is experienced, however that is not the case. He enrolled in his first photography class at his school this past spring.
“A lot of the credit also goes to my teacher who taught me how to take the photos and use Photoshop to edit the photos, and things like that,” he added.
It was his teacher who told him about the Arizona Highways 2021 Adventures in Nature Student Photo Contest, which he entered.
“He said I would be a great candidate for it and I thought, you know what, there’s nothing to lose,” said Ved.
He submitted several photos, but it was the image titled “Three Avocets” that caught the judges eyes.
“And it was like they (ducks) almost posed for that formation”
Ved won a prize of $1,000 for placing 3rd. He attributes his success not only to his teacher but also his father, who also has a passion for photography.
